Harry Potter and the Ghosts of Time
by ElysiumIX
Summary: A new girl has just arrived at Hogwarts and is being placed in the 7th year as a transfer student...and things are about to change. Elizabeth, an orphan with no clue as to who her parents are, may be a Slytherin, but she has no disregards for the "class
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One

The Witches Rune

It was a nice day especially because of how special that day was. Harry Potter was taking a walk towards downtown, and a smile stretched across his face. It was his seventeenth birthday, but it wasn't just that. It was also the _last_ day he would _ever _have to spend with the Dursleys, his muggle family (if one could even _call_ them family that is.) Harry had taken some money out of his Gringotts Account, changed it to muggle money, and now he had a fifty pound note in his hand. He wanted some new clothes before he went off to Diagon Alley in a week. Hermione and Ron had it arranged to meet in the Leaky Caldron. The he would go and meet Cho Chang in the ice cream parlour, then hopefully have some extra time with her. Cho was studying hydra-faeries in India now that she'd graduated from Hogwarts, but she and Harry still corresponded through owl post. She hadn't written him much in the past month though. She hadn't started her studies yet, but there seemed to be so much she had to do to settle in. He couldn't wait to see her though. The relationship over the past few years had been a little on and off and stressful, but Harry still had that _feeling_ for her that he never really had for any other girl, and he wasn't ready to give it up. He wanted to look especially nice for her, so he decided a trip downtown to find some new clothes would do him well.

A shop called "Witches Rune" caught Harry's eye before he could walk any further. Was there _really_ a magic shop in town that Harry had never known about? He peered through the windows, but he couldn't see anything. It was the type of glass that you couldn't see through when the sun was out, and even when it wasn't out, it was still difficult. Harry went to the door and read the shop description. It said

"Witches Rune

A unique shop for all your magickal needs

Incense, candles, tarot, books, Wicca,

Palm reading, skulls, piercing, leather, novelties

Tattoos, Tobacco"

Harry had read about "magick" in Muggle Studies. It was a religion that focused on the "magic" that most muggles actually possessed. Once they became really good at the practice, they could do many of the things first year Hogwarts students could do. It wasn't the same, but Harry had never encountered it up-close. Curious, he walked into the shop.

A little bell rang, and Harry's senses were overwhelmed with the sweet scent of Nag Champa. Strange music was playing all around him, and the lights were set very dim. It gave the place a certain mood, and Harry guessed that was probably what they were aiming for. From a curtained room near the back, a woman dressed like Professor Trelawney glided out to greet Harry.

"Good Afternoon to ye," she said. Her voice was wispy and dreamlike. She had really long hair that was dyed black and red, and it was braided in a few places so it gave her the look of a medieval maiden. Harry smiled and waved, but the woman approached him.

"Your energy is so _strong," _she wisped in disbelief. Harry didn't know what to say. He had never met such a strange muggle.

"What do you mean?" he finally asked.

"You have a golden aura," she answered. "I see _very_ few people with that colour. You have gold and a little bit of silver." Harry soon became interested.

"What does _that_ mean?" he asked.

"It means you have a very special power," she answered. "Why, I've been a high priestess in my coven for the past ten years, and even _I_ don't have such a radiant aura. I've only seen one other person like that, and she's..." Her voice trailed off, but when she looked towards the other end of the shop, Harry knew who "she" was, and he quickly changed his mind about the shop keeper being the strangest person he had ever seen.

Looking at the different skulls was a girl who looked about Harry's age. She had jet black layered hair that draped gently onto her shoulders. She was wearing a long, black leather coat that went down to her calves. Knee high boots donned her feet and black fishnet stockings clung to her skinny, white legs. Her skin was as white as a vampire's, but Harry still couldn't see her face. He felt a strong need to know just what she looked like. Carefully, he walked over to the shelf with all the different skulls to get a look at the girl. He started looking at a skull that would've belonged to some kind of demon had it not been made of plaster when he slowly looked up to see the girl's face.

As he suspected, her face was white like the rest of her skin. Her eyes were surrounded by black eyeliner and eye shadow. Even her lips were painted black. She had headphones on that seemed to be blasting music with a lot of screaming. Her ears were pierced all the way up to the cartilage. Suddenly, she looked up at him, and Harry was taken by what he thought were the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen. They were pale blue with an outline of amber. They stared wide-eyed back into Harry's green eyes, and then her mouth opened and she said-

"Stop staring at me."

Harry looked down, quickly, blushing.

"I'm sorry," he said, sounding stupid. "I was just-"

"Sorry to be harsh," she interrupted, "but I really can't have people staring at me." Harry smiled a bit.

"Pet peeve?" he asked, not looking up from the dragon-like skull. He saw her shake her head.

"Not exactly," she answered, and then she picked up a black candle and slipped it into her black purse. Harry was about to say something, but he decided not to.

"Some psychic _she_ is," the girl said, indicating to the shop keeper. She was going through her books.

"I can give you money to pay for that," Harry offered. The girl smiled. Her teeth were white like her skin against the black lipstick.

"These are eight quid," she said. "I'm not paying that much for a damn candle and neither are you. This shop is a bit of a scam anyway."

"That doesn't mean you should stoop so low as to steal," Harry whispered as he leaned in a little closer. The girl laughed slightly. Her voice was pretty in a strange sort of way.

"Well aren't you the righteous one," she said in a friendly teasing manner. "Look, I haven't been caught for the past four years I've been coming here, and if I _am_ ever going to be caught, today would be the perfect day since I'm leaving town anyway."

"Really? Where are you going?"

"I'm starting at a new school. I got accepted late, but the letter I got said they'd compensate for that." Harry looked at her, interested.

"What school?" he asked. She looked down at the floor, and Harry remembered about the staring thing. Quickly, he looked away.

"It's a school for the gifted," she said in a voice that sounded as though she were lying. He wanted to ask where she was _really_ going, but he remembered the time when the Dursleys told Aunt Marge that he was in a juvenile detention centre, and he decided not to pressure her if she really felt uncomfortable. Instead, he extended his hand.

"My name's Harry Potter," he said. The girl took Harry's hand in her and shook it firmly. Her skin was cold.

"My name's Elizabeth Woodside," she responded. "And you... you sound _very_ familiar, but I can't think of where I've heard your name before."

Harry suddenly felt himself falling as the bit in his stomach seemed to burn. Did muggles know about Harry's defeat of Voldemort, too? It seemed impossible, but Harry had learned to be surprised by nothing. Elizabeth smiled though as she remembered why his name sounded so familiar.

"Ah, _now_ I know. Were you enrolled to go to the local public secondary school?" Harry nodded. Elizabeth smiled. "Well I'm honoured to have finally met 'The Dead Boy'." Harry gasped.

"The...what?"

"Our teacher called your name every morning, yet there was no Harry Potter. We all knew you were never coming, but _she_ didn't know. I decided to call you 'The Dead Boy' because I thought it would be kind of funny if you had died, and she was still calling your name. Not that I _want_ you to die or anything." Harry gave her an awkward glance.

"Well, that's an interesting way for an eleven year old to remember people," he commented, but remembered something worse, deciding to blurt it out. "Then again, a boy I go to school with seems to take pleasure on other people's misfortune. He once said he hoped my best friend would die." Elizabeth grimaced.

"Oh, what a bastard...unless your friend wasn't very nice, but otherwise, what a bastard. Someone should turn him into old woman's underwear." Harry burst out laughing, and the shop keep quickly glanced at them, but then she went back to arranging the clothing at the other end.

"You know, I think I'll try that," he said. Elizabeth probably didn't know he wasn't kidding. What a nightmare it would be for Malfoy to be an extra-large pair of granny-panties.

"Well, don't assume that any of the books here can help you do that," she suggested. Harry _really_ wanted to laugh, but he chose not to.

"I'm sure I'll think of something."

Elizabeth smiled.

"Well, I'd better leave," Harry said. "I have some stuff I need, but it was really nice meeting you, Elizabeth." She smiled again and tipped an imaginary hat.

"Likewise," she replied.

"Good luck in school," Harry called back as he approached the door.

"Thanks. And Harry?" Harry stopped in the open doorway.

"What?" he asked.

"Thank you...about my eyes I mean. I don't get compliments too often." Harry's cheeks filled with blood.

"Oh, well...it's true. They are really pretty..." Harry paused, and then waved and left the shop.

It wasn't until he reached a small pub about five blocks down that Harry realised something about that compliment on Elizabeth's eyes he had made.

He never told her. He said it in his _head!_

* * *

Harry didn't bother saying "good-bye" to the Dursleys. The cab picked him up from the front porch, and the driver helped Harry load all of his stuff into the trunk...except for Hedwig.

"A pet owl, eh?" the man said, smiling. He smelled heavily of cigar smoke. "I've never heard o' _that_, but each to his own I always say."

Harry smiled and got into the back seat. He looked out the window and saw the three Dursleys watching him. Harry felt his blood burn, and then he did something he had always wanted to do to them: Harry rolled down the window, held his hand out, and yelled two words he had wanted to say to his terrible family since he met them (and he had the hand gesture to match). Harry would never forget the horrified look on the Dursleys' faces as the cab sped away. It felt as through a great weight had been lifted from Harry's heart. The driver turned to Harry, surprised but laughing.

"Were they really _that_ bad?" he asked as he smoked a cigar.

"Worse," Harry replied. Hedwig gave Harry an expression of agreement.

Harry and the cab driver talked for a while as they drove to London. It turned out that _his_ name was Harry, too, though his last name was Brennan. He was from Ireland, and he had a strong interest in the Irish folklore. They eventually changed the conversation over to Astronomy, and it turned out that Harry B. had taken an astronomy class at University, and he was surprised to hear that young Harry had already taken six courses at his school.

"What kind of school are you off to?" he asked.

Harry thought for a moment, and then said, "A school for the gifted." Harry B. smiled.

"Ah, a smart lad."

The cab stopped in Downtown London. Harry B. unloaded Harry P's luggage and got back into the car. Harry paid the driver, giving him a larger tip than usual.

"It was great talking to you," Harry P. said, sincerely. Harry B. smiled.

"The pleasure was mine. And good luck at that school of yours. Maybe I'll be pickin' you back up when you get out."

Harry nodded, and the he waved and brought his things into the Leaky Caldron. Hermione and Ron were waiting at a table. They both had very depressed looks on their faces. When they saw Harry, the two of them forced smiles and Hermione jumped up and hugged him.

"It's so good to see you," she said as she released her embrace. A look in her eyes told Harry that she had more to say that she didn't want to release.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, forgetting to greet them properly. Hermione sighed and handed Harry a letter. Harry looked at it suspiciously. Then carefully, he opened it.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope you had a great summer. I know I haven't written you much, but I've been so busy lately, that I just haven't had the time. One of the other students here has been helping me get adjusted. His name is Miguel and he's from Spain. I'm always with him, and he's really helped me with the faeries here._

_Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry, but I just can't continue this way. Miguel and I really connect in a way that you and I never possibly could. He's tall, attractive, strong- not that you aren't any of those things...well, except maybe tall and advanced in magic the way he is, but that's really not the point. I have found the person I belong with, and I only hope you can find yours, Harry. It would mean a lot to me. Please don't be mad. I still care about you. Write to me, please._

_-Cho._

Harry sighed and crumpled the letter up. So that was why they looked so glum. Ron and Hermione had to bear the bad news that Cho had found a Spanish hottie wizard who was better looking and far more advanced in magic than Harry was. Harry felt his blood singe.

"So this is it," he groaned. His eyes began to sting. The insults he had received from the Dursleys, Malfoy, and Snape combined could not account for how terrible Harry felt. "She's found someone better than me." Hermione took Harry's hand in hers.

"Oh, Harry, you should've know it would never work with _her._ She's nice, but..."

"But what?" Harry snapped. Hedwig let out a light shriek of surprise.

"I don't know but-"

Harry left them behind, exiting the Leaky Caldron and going into Diagon alley. He felt a need for the magical atmosphere he had been missing all summer, but it didn't help. He wanted the letter to be wrong, a prank maybe sent by Malfoy, but it couldn't be. He could smell Cho's perfume, and Malfoy couldn't duplicate a letter _that_ well.

Harry walked aimlessly through the alley, not bothering with any of the shops. He just wanted to be left alone. He didn't want Ron or Hermione trying to comfort him. A day that began so well had come crashing down at lightening speed. After a good twenty minutes of aimless wandering, Harry went into the ice cream shop, but he didn't bother ordering anything. He just sat down and stared at the floor.

A dark figure approached him, but Harry didn't look up, until he got a sense of who it was. All he saw out of the corner of his eye was a long, black cloak, black hair, and thin, black legs. Harry shuddered at the thought of having to see Snape at such a horrible time.

_That bastard will only make it worse,_ Harry thought to himself, still staring at the floor. The black figure began walking towards him and Harry scowled. It stopped right to the left of him, just out of clear view.

"Leave me alone," Harry barked.

"Excuse me, but don't I know you?" asked a girl's voice. Harry looked up startled.

It wasn't Snape staring down at him, but Elizabeth, the girl from the Witches Rune. Harry couldn't believe she was in Diagon Alley.

"How did...what...what are you doing here?" He asked. "Did you follow me because-?"

"I had to buy my school books," she interrupted. Harry stared at her, wide eyed.

"You're going to Hogwarts?" he asked, amazed. Elizabeth nodded.

"Are you?" Harry nodded in reply. Elizabeth's black lips formed a slight smile.

"Sorry I kind of snapped at you. I'm having a rough day, and I thought you were one of my professors that I hate." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Well, yeah. He wears all black too, and his hair is about your length, though yours looks a hell of a lot better. It's not greasy like his is." Elizabeth laughed.

"Oh, mine's greasy in the morning if I don't wash it right when I wake up. You should see me. I look like I died, came back to life, tried to crawl out of a muddy grave and then died again on the way up."

"Well, you'll see him at Hogwarts. I hope you're not too offended. You definitely look a lot better than _he_ does." Elizabeth nodded as she put on a weird smirk that reminded Harry even _more_ of Snape.

"You always check out your teachers?" she asked.

"Erm, no, I didn't mean it like that." Elizabeth laughed and sat down next to Harry.

"I know. I'm just bothering you."

Elizabeth's smile widened, and Harry felt his cheeks get warm again. The dark atmosphere she emitted was somewhat intimidating, but she definitely had a certain charm to her. Harry sensed that she would be able to get out of any trouble she got herself into just by smiling at the professor...unless it was Snape.

"Do you want anything from that shop? The icecream there is great." Harry asked. Elizabeth shook her head.

"I ate a little while ago." Harry suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, I wouldn't try stealing anything around here," he said, quietly. "They have really crafty ways of catching you." Elizabeth nodded.

"I know," she said, nonchalantly. "I hold high respects to these shops. They're genuine. Not that crap from The Witches Rune."

"Did you always know you were a witch?" Harry asked. Elizabeth smiled strangely.

"Well, that's a bit complicated. I had always known I was..._unusual,_ but never anything like this. I can make things happen just by thinking about them as well as a lot of other things. I read about it at school. Telekinesis, ESP, and everything like that. It was apparent that was telekinetic and clairvoyant, but there were a lot of other things I couldn't explain."

"Clairvoyant? Professor Trelawney will _love_ you."

"Well, I hope she's nicer than the professor you told me about."

"What year are you being placed in by the way?" Harry asked.

Elizabeth pulled a slip of paper out of a bag she was holding and read over it.

"It says I'm being placed in the seventh year as a transfer student, and if I am able to 'live up to my magical potential' as they say, then I'll be graduating with the rest of the seventh years. Same year as you?"

"Yeah, and my friends back at the-"

Harry suddenly remembered that he had left his two friends back in The Leaky Caldron. He jumped up from his chair and started to walk away, but then turned back to Elizabeth, who didn't seem to really notice or care that Harry had left.

"Erm, would you like to come meet my friends?" he asked. Elizabeth looked up and seemed to think about it for a moment.

"As long as they're not bastards like that blonde kid I met." Harry's eyes darkened.

"Malfoy?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes, _that's_ the one...I hope he dies." Harry laughed.

"That's the one I told you about in the shop," he said. "He feels that way about a lot of people. What did he say to you?"

"He asked who my parents were, and when I told him that I didn't know, he scoffed... and then mysteriously seemed to find himself face down on the floor a second or two later."

"Well, I promise my friends are a lot nicer."

"My parents are picking me up in about ten minutes actually, so I probably won't be able to. Maybe another time." Harry became confused.

"Wait, I thought you said you didn't know who your parents were."

"I don't. These are my adopted parents. Malfrey or whatever was referring to my biological parents."

"How did you know? Did he ask?"

"No, I just knew. I have a way with things like that." Harry was interested.

"You really don't know who your parents are?" he asked. Elizabeth shook her head.

"I was found on a street corner in the next town over from where you live. I was on Elizabeth Avenue and Woodside Drive. The social services thought it would make a good name for me. I was only a year old or so. I don't even know when my real birthday is. We celebrate the day I was rescued."

Harry felt sorry for her. _He_ had never met his parents, but he knew who they were and what they looked like. Elizabeth didn't even know her birth name or birthday.

"Well, I'll look for you on the train," Harry said as he left her.

"I'll look for you, too, and don't worry. I know how to get to the platform."

Harry nodded, and went back to The Leaky Caldron. He looked back at the ice cream place before he turned the corner. Elizabeth had pulled out a book (he couldn't make out what the title was) and began reading as someone served her a drink. She looked like a shadow from the distance. Harry couldn't help but gaze at her though. As long as she didn't spot him staring, it would be okay. She set the book down for a moment, and Harry was almost afraid that she would snap at him for staring (because she hated that), but instead, she pulled out her headphones, put them on, and went back to reading. It would be difficult for her to adjust to Hogwarts life since she was entering her first year as a seventh year. She had lived in the muggle world far too long in Harry's opinion. Things were different, especially if she felt the need to continue what she had done in The Witches Rune.

_Yes, but she definitely belongs there,_ he thought to himself. _I can't figure out what it is other than her powers. There's just something calling her to Hogwarts_


	2. Sorting

Chapter 2

Sorting

Harry boarded the Hogwarts express ten minutes before eleven. He kept the door open and watched the aisle. Ron and Hermione weren't at the station yet, but he knew they would be, and he knew they would sit with him. The person he was really waiting for was Elizabeth. He really wanted her to sit with his friends so they could all meet each other. More people began to enter the train, Ron first and then Hermione, both accompanied by their pets. Hermione had Crookshanks, her cat, and Ron had Pig, his miniature owl. They found Harry and quickly went to sit with him.

"Did you see the new girl?" Ron asked as he took a seat. Harry shook his head.

"She's _weird!"_ Ron blurted. "She wears all black and has black lipstick and-"

"Oh wait," Harry interrupted. "I _do_ know her. Her name is Elizabeth, and she's actually pretty nice...in a...interesting sort of way." Hermione scoffed.

"Well, if she doesn't take those headphones off, she's going to get in a lot of trouble at school."

"Who's going to get in trouble?" said a voice from the side.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all turned to see Elizabeth's black, shadow-like figure hovering in the doorway. Ron and Hermione choked up, and Harry's blood began to burn in anger. He glared at his two cabin-mates.

"Oh, one of the first years up front," Hermione said, hesitating, but not too obvious. Elizabeth seemed to know she was lying though.

"Right," Elizabeth sneered and quickly marched to the back of the train, saying nothing else.

Harry glared at Ron and Hermione.

"Why did you have to go ahead and do something so _stupid?_" He growled.

"What? I didn't say anything mean to her."

"Yeah, but chances are, she knew what you were thinking." Harry got up from his seat. "I'm going to see if she's all right."

"She seemed fine," said Ron, but Harry got out of his seat anyway.

He walked past all the compartments. Most of them were open except for the last one on the right. Harry couldn't see into it, but he guessed that was where Elizabeth was. She seemed like the type to go straight for the back where no one else would be. Hesitating, Harry knocked on the door.

"What?" hissed a girl's irritated voice from inside the compartment.

"It's me, Harry."

At that, Harry heard a "click", and the door came ajar. Elizabeth was sitting next to the window. She had her around her neck and an unlit cigarette in her mouth. The light from The Witches Rune had been really dim, and now he was able to get a really good look at Elizabeth. Her eyes were a very pale blue that mesmerised Harry, though he could see why they might creep most people out. She had on a black dress with a fishnet shirt on under it. Her nails were painted black, and there were dozens of silver rings on her fingers. One ring that looked like a snake with an emerald for an eye reminded Harry of the Slytherin house.

"Those your friends?" she asked, taking out a box of matches.

"Yeah, and I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, referring to the cigarette.

"What are they going to do?" she asked nonchalantly, and carefully lit it.

There was a sudden high pitched screech that made Harry and Elizabeth jump. A compartment in the ceiling opened, and a small elf, similar to that of a house elf, jumped down and snatched the cigarette from Elizabeth's mouth. He then smashed it out with his fingers, glaring at Elizabeth.

_"No smoking on the train!"_ it yelled. "You understand me?" Slowly, Elizabeth nodded.

Grunting, the elf jumped up and crawled back into the hole he had leaped out, slamming the trapdoor once he was in. Elizabeth was sitting very still. Her hand was still up to her mouth, holding the now imaginary cigarette. The match was still burning. Her blue eyes were now wide with shock.

"_That's_ what they'll do," Harry said.

Elizabeth didn't move until the flame of the match had burnt down to her fingertips. Elizabeth cursed and flung the smouldering match to the ground, stamping it out with her boots.

"Someone tried that last year," Harry informed her. "As long as it's out now, you shouldn't get in trouble." Elizabeth sighed.

"I need to quit anyway," she said as she opened her window and tossed a half-empty pack out.

"You shouldn't litter neither!" yelled the elf from above, still hiding in his secret compartment.

Elizabeth cursed again and then pulled a book out of her bag. Harry looked at the title. It was her "Standard Book of Spells". She was looking through it, smirking the entire time.

"They really expect me to _do_ this stuff?" she asked.

"Well, it might seem hard at first-" but Harry stopped in mid sentence.

The look on Elizabeth's face told him that she really thought it was a joke. She had the book open to a page that instructed how to light a proper fire without the use of a wand. Harry was glad they were finally going over wandless magic this year, but Elizabeth didn't seem too thrilled.

" 'This incantation is very simple, but to make heavy objects levitate without your wand takes much practice and a lot of heart.' Are they kidding?"

"Well, no," Harry said. "They really teach you that at Hogwarts. It's really a school of magic. I didn't think so at first, but-"

"Don't you think your friends are wondering where you are?" Elizabeth interrupted.

Harry saw a look in Elizabeth's eyes that told him she _wanted _him to go. He felt embarrassed for having stayed with her so long in the compartment. He should've known someone like Elizabeth wouldn't _really_ like him all that much. People like her usually kept to themselves. Harry sighed and got up, just as Malfoy opened the door, gripping the side of the doorway to keep his balance.

"Ah, I _thought_ the two orphans would be attracted to each other," he said, sneering.

"I'd watch what you say, blondie," Elizabeth hissed.

"Why should I? What would _you_ do about it?"

Elizabeth smiled evilly. Her black, painted lips went thin, and her blue eyes narrowed at Malfoy. It was the kind of smile that Snape would put on before duelling with someone. It gave Harry goose bumps.

Suddenly, the door slammed hard. Malfoy fell to the ground, gripping his bleeding hand.

"Ah! I think my hand is broken! Just wait until I tell my father!"

"What's he going to do? Escape from prison so he can scold me?"

Malfoy was too distraught to come up with a good response. Instead, he slammed the door again with his good hand, and Harry could hear him stomping back to where he was sitting before. He would be taken directly to Madam Pomfrey once they arrived. His fingers actually _did_ look broken. Harry then stared at Elizabeth, feeling a little frightened.

"Don't worry," she said. "I won't do that to you. I think you're nice." Harry smiled, thankfully.

"Now go and sit with your friends before they think you've deserted them."

Elizabeth smiled as she put her headphones back on, and Harry walked back down the aisle. He could hear Malfoy complaining about the "freak that broke his fingers". It made Harry laugh. Hermione had stood up to him during their third year when she punched him square in the face. Harry never felt bad for Malfoy, even when his father was sent to prison.

"There you are," Hermione said happily when Harry entered. "How is she?"

"She's fine. She just broke Malfoy's fingers." Hermione and Ron started laughing.

"Really? What did she do?" asked Ron.

"She slammed the door on his fingers. Now he's crying like a dying mandrake in his compartment.

"That's great!" said Ron, enthusiastically.

"I like her already," Hermione said. "And...I'm sorry if I insulted her."

"I think she's over it. After the crap she has to put up with because of Malfoy, what you said probably seems like nothing to her.

"I wonder what house she'll be in," Hermione said. Ron nodded.

"Yeah, I wonder. What do you think, Harry?"

Harry hadn't thought about it. He really hoped she would be in Gryffindor, but something in his gut told him she wouldn't be. Though she was obviously brave, it didn't seem to fit. Hufflepuff was out, too. She didn't seem like the shy, friendly type to Harry. Ravenclaw was a strong possibility. She already seemed to know more magic than most students. She also had a smart, witty aura about her. There was still one more possibility, and it hurt Harry to think about it.

"I hope she's _not_ in Slytherin," Harry said, but he knew that she would probably do well there, too.

She was sneaky (stealing from The Witches Rune), and she seemed like one who would go through any means to get what she needed done. Still, the likelihood of Elizabeth being in Slytherin was low. Harry hadn't yet met _one_ Slytherin that he liked. He didn't think it was possible he could be friends with a Slytherin.

"Probably Ravenclaw," Harry said, trying to reassure himself. "She's really smart."

"She dresses like a raven, too," Ron said. "She'd make a great mascot."

Harry knew Ron didn't mean anything bad by that, either. Chances were that Elizabeth wouldn't really care too much anyway. She didn't seem like one who would _really_ make a big deal over nothing. Then again, she also seemed quite unpredictable.

After a while of catching up with each other and going over the different courses chosen, the train stopped. Harry, Hermione, and Ron grabbed their Luggage and exited the train. Crookshanks jumped out of Hermione's arms and darted for the back of the train.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione yelled, but the cat ignored her. Instead, the orange fur ball found Elizabeth and jumped into her arms.

"_Well_ then!" she exclaimed, petting the large, orange cat.

Hermione ran to the back of the train and took Crookshanks gently out of Elizabeth's arms.

"That was strange," she said. Elizabeth just smiled.

"I think he smelled Grim," she said. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Grim?"

Elizabeth smiled as she opened a cage that sat on top of her luggage. I small, black and white cat crept out and climbed into Elizabeth's arms. Crookshanks leaned in and sniffed the small cat.

"This is my baby, Grim," Elizabeth said, petting the cat affectionately. "She's about a year old now."

Grim rubbed her face against Crookshanks' and began purring. It seemed the two cats really liked each other. Elizabeth got a worried look on her face.

"Erm, is your cat fixed?" she asked. Hermione shook her head, and then got the same worried expression as Elizabeth had.

"We'd better keep them separate then," Hermione said. "Otherwise there'll be a lot more cats running around the school."

Elizabeth gently put Grim back into her cage and began walking with her luggage. Hermione looked back, unsure of whether she should really introduce herself to this strange girl, but decided it was best to.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she said, extending her hand.

Surprisingly, Elizabeth accepted it, smiling her white teeth against creepy black lipstick.

"Elizabeth Woodside," she replied, shaking Hermione's hand.

Hermione couldn't think of much else to say. She thought it might be a bit awkward apologising to Elizabeth for something she didn't even know she did. Instead, they walked silently in the line to get off the train.

Elizabeth was overwhelmed by the view. The lake that overlooked Hogwarts was one thing to her, but actually _seeing_ the school was something on a different level. It was a huge castle rather than a school. A thick mist was hanging over the lake and extending towards the castle. About one hundred or so boats were lined up at the water's edge, and a huge man with wild hair was standing by the lake.

"First year, come wit' me," he shouted. "All the rest, ye know what to do."

Elizabeth looked around confused. It was her first year, though she wasn't being placed as a first year, yet she _didn't_ know what to do. She tapped the nearest person she could find. It was a girl with a pug shaped face.

"What?" she asked with an annoyed look, but her expression changed as soon as she saw Elizabeth.

"Err, yes, what am _I _supposed todo?" she asked.

"Are you a first year?" she asked, now calmly.

"Well, not exactly. This _is_ my first year, but I'm being placed up with the seventh years."

The pug faced girl thought for a moment, but she didn't seem to have an answer.

"I think you should go ask Hagrid. He's the one over there taking the rest of the first years."

Ah, okay," Elizabeth answered. "Cheers!"

"Wait a second!" the pug girl called as Elizabeth began to run after Hagrid. She stopped quickly, and Grim yowled in irritation.

"Were _you_ the one who broke Malfoy's fingers?" she asked. Elizabeth grinned.

"Aye, that would be me." The pug girl smiled back.

"You're officially my new best friend," she said. "I dated him, but he turned out to be a big jerk."

Elizabeth shuddered to think that Malfoy could date anyone, but the girl didn't seem too bad for a person.

"Aren't they _all_ like that?" Elizabeth asked, and then went back after Hagrid.

"I think she's going with Hagrid to get prepared," Hermione said. "I saw her talking to Pansy, and then she went for the boats."

"Eww, Pansy?" Ron grimaced.

"Actually, she hasn't been so bad since she dumped Malfoy," Harry added. "She must've seen his true colours." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, believe it or not, I think some Slytherins have matured a bit. They're not really friendly with us, but they don't give us as much of a hard time...except for Malfoy." Harry smiled.

"Well, with Elizabeth around, I don't think Malfoy will want to do anything to us. From what it looked like, she _really_ broke his fingers. There was blood everywhere. It was gross, but great at the same time." Rom scoffed.

"I wouldn't mind seeing his head on a stick, honestly. He's been nothing but terrible all six years, and from what it sounds like, things won't improve for the seventh."

"You'd think people would learn to just grow up," Hermione added. "I mean, we're leaving for good this year, right?" Harry nodded.

"That's why Malfoy has to be so terrible," Harry said. "He's only got a limited amount of time to torment people, so he has to fill it in now."

"Well, I think he's met his match," said Hermione, smiling.

Later on, everyone was escorted into the Great Hall. Harry spotted Elizabeth in the line of first years waiting to be sorted. She looked awkwardly tall compared to most of them. When she saw Harry, she smiled in a way that said "go ahead and laugh at me". Harry _did_ laugh though. She still had her headphones on, though one was pulled off her ear so she could hear what was going on. The girl definitely had a way about her.

Then, Dumbledore brought out the sorting hat. Harry watched as he sat down at the Gryffindor table as Elizabeth's eyes widened when the hat began reciting the poem. Harry laughed at her surprise, and then, the names were being called.

Harry looked over at the high table where all the professors sat. Again, there was a new professor, most likely for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Snape was sitting at the far end, looking both bored and annoyed. He didn't get the job again. Everyone knew that Snape wanted the Defence class. He knew enough about the dark arts, more than most people should. Only recently had Harry learned that Snape _had_ worked for Voldemort, but he tried to leave when things got bad. Voldemort ended up putting him under a dark enchantment, along with many other wizards. Snape still had the tattoo of the Death Eaters on his arm. It looked scarred up, as if Snape had tried cutting it out of his skin.

The hat called out the names, and finally, it came to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth Woodside!" it shouted.

Nervously, Elizabeth approached the hat and sat down. Dumbledore set the hat on her head, and it waited a moment before it spoke.

"Hmm...interesting," it said. "There's a lot in here."

"Hmm...interesting," Elizabeth retorted, "a talking hat."

The sorting hat just laughed.

"Ha-ha! You're a witty one, you are. What else is there?...a _lot_ of bravery I see, a whole lot of intelligence. Do you think Ravenclaw would work for you?" Elizabeth just sat there with that look one gets when he has just seen something frightening, like a BBC television show for toddlers. Harry was a little sad she wasn't in Gryffindor, though Ravenclaw wasn't bad.

"_But!" _the hat began abruptly, "there's more to you than just the wit. You'll do what it takes to get things done I see."

The hat cleared it's through (though it didn't really have one) and announced, "I'm certain now of which house you're in. Elizabeth Woodside's in SLYTHERIN!"

Harry's heart sunk, and he could see that Ron and Hermione felt the same way.

"No!" Harry cursed under his breath. "It _must_ be wrong."

He knew otherwise though. Elizabeth _would_ make a great Slytherin, but if it were the end of their short-lived friendship, Harry would really feel as though he'd lost something great.

"It won't be _too_ bad," Hermione said, comforting Harry. "If she's your friend, than a house shouldn't change anything."

Harry nodded in agreement, though he knew that things probably _would_ change a lot. He watched Elizabeth walk over to the Slytherin table and sit with Pansy Parkinson. They seemed to get along really well. Harry also noticed that Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.

_I bet he's whining to Madam Pomfrey, _he thought to himself.

When Harry looked up at the high table though, he saw something he had never seen before. Snape was watching Elizabeth, not with malice, not with content, but with curiosity. It was such a deep, unusual stare that it sent icicles running up and down Harry's spine.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Needles and Matchsticks

The first class of the next day was double potions with the Slytherins (as always). This was the first time that Harry didn't mind though. Even though Elizabeth was placed in the Slytherin house, he really wanted to see her. He found that he'd grown quite fond of her quirky personality (and anyone who slammed Malfoy's fingers in a doorway was a friend of Harry's). As he walked down into the dungeon, he could hear the Slytherins talking. Then the Gryffindors entered. Elizabeth smiled when she saw Harry, and she waved to him. Harry waved back nervously and sat in one of the middle rows with Hermione and Ron. Snape wasn't in the class yet.

Harry looked behind him and saw that Malfoy _was_ in class though, and his hand was bandaged up. He was saying something to Elizabeth, and Harry could tell that whatever it was he was saying, she didn't like it at all. Harry almost wanted to see Elizabeth make the heavy spell book go flying up towards Malfoy's nose, and then he'd have another broken bone, but he also knew that if she got into too much trouble, she would be expelled for beating on Snape's favourite student.

And then Snape arrived. It was the first time he was actually late, and everyone was surprised once they realised it. He didn't waste any time though. He began role call, and went through it very quickly...until he called Elizabeth's name.

"Elizabeth...Woodside..."he said, but his voice trailed off. He was staring at the parchment with all the names on it.

"Here," Elizabeth called. Snape didn't respond, nor did he go onto the next student's name. He just stared and started muttering softly to himself.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" he asked himself, seeming to forget that thirty-five students were watching him.

"Professor," Elizabeth uttered in an annoyed tone. Snape didn't respond. It was as though someone had put him in a trance.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron looked at each other, nervously. Never had they seen Snape act so strangely before. Maybe _weird,_ but not this strange.

"_Professor!" _Elizabeth shouted. Snape's eyes widened and he looked over at Elizabeth. "I'm here," she said, changing her irritated tone into a smile.

"Oh...yes, you are. Sorry about that."

He called the last student as though nothing strange had happened, and then went about the normal class routine.

"Did you see that?" Ron whispered to Harry. "She didn't even get in trouble!"

"It's because she's a Slytherin," Harry said. "Any other house, and Snape would've taken her to Dumbledore for disrespect."

"Potter. Weasly," Snape growled. "Is there something the two of you would like to share with the rest of class?"

Harry and Ron shook their heads quickly, but Snape knew better.

"Five points from Gryffindor. You boys _aren't_ getting off to a very good start now, are you?" He smirked, and went back to going over the general lesson plan.

"We'll begin today with a simple potion for curing headaches. I know we went over one of these last year, but this one is more potent and a bit more complicated. It will most likely take everyone about two weeks to complete it, though for some it may take more." He made the last comment staring directly at Neville.

It was the strangest potions class Harry had had so far. Snape stayed at his desk most of the time, not even bothering to get up when Neville's potion exploded all over his table. Harry kept looking up at Snape, but Snape seemed to want nothing to do with the class. He was focused on a page in a book. Harry couldn't see what book it was though, but every now and then, Snape would look up at Elizabeth with a strange, wondering look in his eyes.

"If I didn't know better," said Ron in a whisper, "I'd say Snape is checking out your new friend."

"That's just wrong in _so_ many ways," Hermione said, annoyed. Her potion already looked halfway done just as the bell rang. Snape slammed his book shut as everyone began to exit.

"Miss Granger, Miss Woodside, would you two stay here please." Harry and Ron exchanged glances, and left the dungeon.

Hermione and Elizabeth approached Snape with completely different looks on their faces. Hermione looked scared, as though she had done something wrong by nearly completing her potion, but Elizabeth looked irritated.

"Professor, I really need to talk to you about that blonde, son-of a-" but Snape quickly interrupted Elizabeth.

"Right now, I need to talk to the two of you," Snape said, ignoring Elizabeth's plea. "It appears that this is your first year here at Hogwarts?" Snape asked Elizabeth. She nodded. "Yet you're placed with the seventh years. You know you'll have a lot of catching up to do."

"I actually think I'll be fine," Elizabeth said.

"I'm sure you do, but just to be certain, I'm going to assign Hermione as your _temporary_ tutor."

"What!" Hermione shouted. Snape glared at her.

"Hermione, I've noticed that you're at the _top _of the school, and since you enjoy showing off so much, I thought it would benefit the two of you."

"But why can't you assign someone from _her_ house?" Hermione argued.

"That's ten points from Gryffindor and there will be no more discussion about it."

"Professor, I really don't think I need a tutor for this class-"

"I don't want you falling behind in your other classes though. Remember that I'm the head of your house, and I think it would be best if Miss Granger here helped you get started."

"I don't like working with people," Elizabeth snapped. Snape just glared at her, but he didn't take any points off (he rarely took points off of other Slytherins).

"I'm not _asking_ you two to work together," he began. "I'm _telling _you." He then looked down and sighed. "Miss Granger, if you work with Elizabeth, I will give Gryffindor fifteen points. That would account for what's been lost today. Does that seem fair?"

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Snape was actually trying to be fair? She didn't want to argue anymore. He was actually making an attempt at something good.

"Okay," she said, reluctantly, but surely.

"Thank you for cooperating. Can you two meet in the Gryffindor common room around eight tonight? That would probably be better for _you_, Granger." Hermione nodded, not really wanting to argue. "All right. I'll give Elizabeth a pass then. You can go, Granger. I still need to speak with Elizabeth."

Hermione nodded and waved to Elizabeth, and then she left. Elizabeth was left standing face to face with Snape.

"I need to talk to you about a little incident on the train," he began. "Have a seat if you'd like." Elizabeth took a seat by his desk. Snape pulled out a piece of parchment.

"It says here that Mr. Malfoy was sent to the hospital wing with all of his fingers on his left hand _broken."_

"Really!" Elizabeth said, excitedly, but soon changed her tone, "err..._really?"_

"Yes, really. He claims that you somehow slammed the door on his hand, is that right?"

"Oh, no," Elizabeth lied. "His hand was in the doorway, and when the train shifted, the doors slammed on his fingers."

"I don't believe you, but I think it'll be safe to let you off with a warning this time. Don't break anymore students' bones, even _if_ you don't get along with Malfoy."

"It seems a lot of people don't really like him," Elizabeth blurted. Snape sighed.

"This is true, and it's starting to show now that his father's lost power, but that's irrelevant right now." Snape stood up in his chair and walked over to Elizabeth. "Just try not to hurt anyone like that, all right?" Elizabeth nodded.

"I can try," she said in an unconvincing tone.

Snape glared at her but shook it off as he wrote her a pass to her next class: Advanced Charms.

* * *

Hermione waited outside of the Gryffindor common room at eight o'clock. Not a minute later, a dark shadow appeared from the corridor, and Hermione quickly recognised it to be Elizabeth, donned in her regular black clothes. She could probably go through classes without her regular uniform, and no one would take a second glance.

"Sorry about all of this," Elizabeth said. Hermione shrugged.

"It's all right. Let me just-"

Hermione was about to say the password to the portrait of the fat lady, but before she said anything, the painting shifted, revealing the door to the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey!" the lady yelled, but Elizabeth just walked right through. Hermione watched in amazement, but then she went after her.

"How did you _do_ that?" she asked in astonishment. Elizabeth just shrugged.

"I'm a witch, aren't I?"

"Well, yes, but...do you know the password?" Elizabeth looked back.

"Err, no...why?"

Hermione decided it was best just to ignore the strange events and she walked with Elizabeth over to one of the burgundy sofas. Elizabeth kept looking around the room, amazed.

"Wow, _your _common room is great," she said. "Mine is freezing, and Malfoy's always there, so I tend to stay in my dorm room alone."

"Well, let me see your course schedule," Hermione said as she settled herself comfortably into the cushions. A few people eyed Elizabeth with an unwelcome glare, but Elizabeth didn't seem to notice. Instead, she pulled out the parchment with all of her classes and handed it to Hermione. Hermione looked over it in disbelief.

Elizabeth was taking Advanced Divination, Advanced Charms, Faeries, Veela, and Sirens, Advanced Transfiguration, and Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts. The only standard classes she was put in was potions, a History of Magic, and herbology, and there _wasn't_ an advanced course for History! Hermione felt a tinge of jealousy. How could a girl who transferred into Hogwarts straight from the muggle world _possibly_ know so much already? Even Hermione wasn't allowed to take Faeries, Veela, and Sirens.

"How did you get into these classes?" Hermione asked.

"I guess I scored high on the placement or something," Elizabeth responded. "I really like the class about faeries though. I'd always been interested in those, but I never knew they were _real. _And there are so many different kinds of them!"

"How's divination?"

"That's tomorrow. Harry said Professor Trelawney would love me or something." Hermione scoffed. Divination was her _only_ bad subject if you subtracted potions (which was only bad because of Snape).

"Well, maybe we could get started on Transfiguration," Hermione said, trying to change the subject. "And just to see where you are, lets try something simple." Elizabeth nodded as Hermione pulled out a box of matches and handed them to Elizabeth. "Now, I want you to turn these into needles. The spell for that should be on page..."

But has Hermione was flipping through the spellbook, Elizabeth opened the box of matches and dumped out twenty needles onto the sofa. Hermione slowly looked up from the book. Her eyes first went on the needles, then the match box, and then Elizabeth. Elizabeth had a look in her eyes that told Hermione she had done that millions of times.

"How did you do that?" Hermione asked.

"It's easy. I just _think_ about it really hard. Watch," she began as she picked up each needle, "I can change them back."

Once each needle was in her hand, Elizabeth closed her fist, and then opened it again. In her palm were twenty wooden matches, and Hermione noticed that in black letters, "Liz Was Here" was engraved on each one. Hermione couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"All right. I give up. The thing with the portrait was _one_ thing, but all these classes, and the needles, and the matchsticks, and your message..._how can you _do_ that!" _Hermione found she was now shouting.

"I...really don't know," Elizabeth stuttered. "It's something I've just always been able to do."

"But you need a spell. And you wand! Where's your _wand!"_

"I left it in my room."

"Well how do you expect-"

But Hermione stopped herself in mid-sentence. If this girl could already change things with no real magic experience, no spells, and no wand, Hermione wondered what _else_ Elizabeth could do.

"Can you...do more?" Hermione asked, hesitantly.

Suddenly, the book jumped out of Hermione's hand and quickly shut. Hermione jumped back as it floated to the floor. Obviously, Elizabeth _could_ do more. She carefully took Hermione's hands and looked into her brown eyes.

"I want you to look into my eyes," Elizabeth instructed. "I don't usually tell people to do that, but I'm giving you a free chance."

Hermione didn't know how to respond, but she decided to listen to Elizabeth. Hermione looked into Elizabeth's icy blue eyes, and stared without blinking for what seemed to be the longest time. She wasn't sure what exactly was happening. When Elizabeth let go of Hermione's hands, she awaited to know what had just happened.

"Have you ever heard the expression that the eyes are a 'window to the soul'?" Elizabeth asked. Hermione nodded. "Well, I like to think that I just looked into your soul. I can _see_ your thoughts, even the ones you don't want me to see- don't worry. I didn't look that deep."

"So you can read my mind?"

"Something like that. It worked really well for you. You're an emitter. That means I can retrieve more things from you than I would from most people. That also means you can't receive information like I do though."

"That would explain why I was so terrible in Divination."

"Probably, but I've noticed that every person has a different energy as far as that goes. Anyway, let me tell you what I saw.

"You grew up in a..._muggle_ home, you call it? Your parents are dentists." Hermione nodded. "You strive to excel in _everything_ and I _did_ see that Divination wasn't your strong point. It seems you left it quite..._abruptly."_

"I walked right out of class," Hermione responded.

"You also think I'm creepy." Hermione's face went red, but Elizabeth just smiled. "Don't worry. I don't need to read most people to see that. It's pretty easy to figure out, though I kind of bring it upon myself."

Hermione smiled, and Elizabeth got up to gather her books.

"Well, I think that's enough for tonight?" she asked. Hermione nodded.

"Maybe, but...if you still want to, you're welcome to come here, as long as Professor McGonagall knows you have permission."

Elizabeth scoffed.

"I don't care what they say, as long as _you're_ okay with it."

"You're going to get in so much trouble with you house."

Elizabeth began walking to the door, but she looked back at Hermione with a bog grin on her face.

"Well, if _that_ wasn't an accurate prediction, I don't know _what_ is."

And then she left.


End file.
